OUR OPINION: Court candidates recommended to Texas voters

SAN ANGELO, Texas - Like football referees and baseball umpires, appellate court judges generally aren't widely known unless they make a mistake.

Many Texans, and other Americans, became aware of Sharon Keller, presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, when she rejected a death penalty appeal in 2007 because it didn't arrive at the court by 5 p.m. even though she knew it was coming. Hours later, Michael Richard was executed.

The defense attorneys weren't loafing. They were reacting to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that day in which the justices had agreed to hear an appeal based on the constitutionality of some lethal injections.

Many were appalled, including members of the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct, which said Keller "cast public discredit on the judiciary" and issued a public warning. That rebuke later was overturned by a three-judge panel that ruled it wasn't an option open to the commission.

Keller earlier had written an opinion in a DNA case that caused a fellow Republican on the court to charge that she had made Texas a "national laughingstock."

In 2010 she was fined $100,000 for failing to report income and stock holdings.

That is not a record worthy of support, and the Standard-Times editorial board endorses Democrat Keith Hampton, who has extensive trial and appellate experience, including arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Well-regarded by people in both parties, Hampton was named to state judicial panels by George W. Bush when he was governor and John Cornyn when he was on the Texas Supreme Court.

He was instrumental in the creation of special courts for miliary veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other service-related problems.

Hervey worked 16 years in the appellate section of the Bexar County DA's office before being elected to the court in 2000. She is chairwoman of the Criminal Justice Integrity Unit, which provides training to judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys.

She is opposed by Libertarian Mark W. Bennett.

Alcala was appointed to the court last year by Gov. Rick Perry. She previously served nine years on the First Court of Appeals and was a state district judge in Harris County.

She is opposed by Libertarian William Bryan Strange III.

TEXAS SUPREME COURT

The Standard-Times recommends that voters support three Republicans seeking election.

Nathan Hecht has served as the Place 6 justice on the court since 1989. His experience and expertise is needed especially since the court is likely to be involved in a case that will determine how Texas public schools are funded.

He is opposed by Democrat Michele Petty, Libertarian Mark Ash and Jim Chisholm of the Green Party.

Don Willett has served as the Place 2 justice since 2005. He is a former Texas deputy attorney general and was a deputy assistant attorney general in the U.S. Justice Department.

He is opposed by Libertarian RS Roberto Koelsch.

John Devine, a former state district judge, appears to be the best qualified candidate for the open Place 4 seat. He is opposed by Libertarian Tom Oxford and Green Party candidate Charles E. Waterbury.